This is a great thread. Weather you believe in the LOP, RI, or RV there is alot of well thought out info here. While there are many valid points on either side of the coin it's hard to argue with economics as well as the beliefe that someone has. The discussion here is what these forums are all about but there is way to much bashing when some one has an ideal that they hold on to. If you get past the infighting and read all posts with an open mind we all have something to learn.
While i fully believe in the RV i still take the "LOPSTERS" posts and ideas into consideration and do not bash because a well thought out argument should bring discussion not bashing. I wish i didn't hold out until my senior year to take economics because i might understand more of what is going on I look at this in a little different point of view ( Hopefully I can start Micro this fall). I have been to Iraq and i have had interaction with the people and seen some of the country. I am currently in Afghanistan where i work daily with local and military Afghans. To say the two countries are different is a understatement. Wether you want to believe it or not Iraq has a well educated population and is continuing to improve. They have oil and are developing their recourses. The future can be bright for Iraq if their government can put the people ahead of their own pocket yet their people are better off than the Afghans by a long shot.
My point is this. Afghanistan is a poor country where 85% of their peole are uneducated and illeterate. The recourses they have are untapped due to the violence that will remain here for years to come. The power grid here makes Iraq look like they are state of the art and the Afghans fear technology. The Iraqi's are imbrasing technology and are slowly moving forward. The hope i have for the IQD doesn't stem from the pre war rate that was set by Sadam and held no water but from the fact that the Afghanee is worth more than the Dinar by a substantial amount. I would like some of the people here to look at this phenominon since i don't know the first thing about economics. I believe this comparison might even give the Lopsters something to think about that may shine a light of hope and give us a new avenue to look at this investment. If you compare the state of these two countries the monitary values should be flipped but, they are not. This thought process has me holding out for a RV that may not be the 1 to1 we want but should far surpass the .05 to .10 range some are looking at and think this is all they can support.
Bash if you want i'm a big boy but if i'm way off base i'm always open to the ideas of others... i will probably learn something new.

Benjamin Ramadan is the Muslim holy month.. For one month a year the Muslims fast from sun up to sun down. I f i remember correctly this fast ime is for purification. They are allowed to eat and drink after sundown and only after a prayer. Ramadan is also based on a lunar cycle so the day Ramadan starts slips a few days from year to year. The current cycle has the holiday stating and stopping right in the middle of the hot months so there will be nothing accomplished during this time. From working with many Afghans during Ramadan they spend the day trying to conserve their energy especially later into the month.
Some of this info may be a little off but working as an Advisor to the Afghans i have leaned a little about Ramadan and what happens during this time. I hope this helps. If any body has any further info or if i made a mistake please let me know... A little knowledge goes a long way.

Vicious don't get your self wraped around opinions on this or any site. Even people with good intentions get bad intel and get hopes up prematuley. Lets face it Rand only throws opinions out and says proove me wrong... He gets proved wrong and keeps going. It is fun sometimes to read his posts but there is never anything worth taking to heart.
Ramadan does not start this month it starts in July and runs into Aug. So we still have a few more weeks for things to get done before the month long break.

This is huge news.... with the banks investing in technology and streamlining their processes the people may be able to find a way t have confidence in the CBI. Just another stepping stone to our final goal.

Iraq still has funds that were given to them to build schools. I believe the fund was around 100 million. I wonder how many more funds are set up for the rebuilding of their infrastructue that they are not telling the people about?